Potato digger conveyer shaker



July 14, 1931.

F. WHEELER POTATO DIGGER CONVEYER SHAKER Filed March 20, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet l By QM July 14, 1931.

F. WHEELER POTATO DIGGER CONVEYER SHAKER Filed March 20, 1928 l /7 grgn'm A /6 'ZZ l l *l i jv' W I /J Zig; rwemor E Wee/r 2 Sheets-Sheet 2atente'cl `uly 1'4, 193

FRANK WHEELER, F DEL NORTE, COLORADO POTATO BIGGER CONVEYER SHAKERApplication filed March 20, 1928. Serial No. 263,177.

The present invention relates to 'a potato digger and more particularlyto means for shaking the endless conveyer or elevator associated withthepotatol digger and has for its prime object to provide a positivelydriven means which is adjustable to control the effectiveness thereof asmay be desired and the part-s of which are capable of easy as-y tionproceeds, the invention resides in cer-` tain novel features ofconstruction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a potato digger showing myimproved shaker associated therewith,

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail elevation of the shaker attachmen YFigure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 ofFigure 2,

Figure 4 is an edge elevation of the attachment, and

Figure 5 is a detail section taken substantially on the line 5 5 ofFigure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail it will be seen that I haveillustrated a conventional potato digger only to such an extent as isnecessary to illustrate the operation and utility of my attachment. Inthis illustration of the potato digger the numeral 5 denotes the frame,the numeral 6 one of the wheels thereof and a gear 7 operativelyassociated therewith and driving a pinion 8 which is operativelyassociated with a sprocket 9 for driving the endlessy elevator orconveyer 10. 50 These parts have been illustratedl merely by way ofexample and are not of the essence of this invention. n

I provide a shaft 11 journaled in any suitable manner'in the frame 5 anddriven by means of a pinion 12 meshing with the gear 7 and locatedpreferably forwardly of said gear 7. On the shaft-I mount one or more ofmy improved attachments. This attachment comprises a hub 14 withchannelspokes 15 of any suitable number radiating outwardly therefrom andspokes 16 which are disposed in the channels of the spokes kand areadjustably held in place by bolts 17 extending through apertures 18 and19 of the spokes 15 and 16 respectively.

I preferably provide a plurality of apertures 18 in each spo-ke 15 sothat the respective spoke 16 may be adjusted with respect thereto. vAstub axle or shaft 21 projects laterally from the extremity of eachspoke 16 and has j ournaled thereon a roller 22 held in place bysuitable means such as a washer y 23. and cotter pin 24. The hub 14 isfixed to rotate with the shaft 11 by suitable means such as the setscrew 25.

From the above detailed description it will be seen, referring to Figure1, that as the potato diger moves, shaft 11 will be rotated in aclockwise direction and as the rollers 22 of suitable numbersuccessively engage the endless elevator or conveyer 10 the upper runthereof will be agitated or shaken so that the potatoes will be loosenedfrom the dirt which may cling thereto.

This attachment will work on practically all potato diggers now incommon use and afford little or no wear to the parts of the potatodigger and to the parts of itself when in actual use, *All parts may bequickly and cheaply replaced. From actual expe rience VI have found thatthe attachment shakes the endless conveyer sufficiently to properlyclean the potatoes. It is thought that the construction, operation andadvantages of this invention will new be quite apparent to those skilledin this art without a more detailed description thereof.

The present embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detailmerely by way of example since in actual practice it attains thefeatures of advantage enumerated as de sirable in the statement of theinvention and the above description.

It will be apparent that changes in the details of construction, and inthe combination and arrangement of parts as may be resorted to withoutdeparting` from the spirit or scope of the invention as'hereinafterclaimed 0r sacrilicing any of its advantages. Y

Having tlius described my invention, what I claim as new is:

A shaker for use in potato diggers and the like, consisting essentiallyof a hub, spaced spoke arms, of channel form in Cross section, radiatingfrom the hub and having,` apertured bottoms, a plurality of spokes onein the Channel of each spoke arm and extending outwardly from the arms,lateral journals ycarried by the extended portions of the spokes,rollers mounted to turn on said journals and held against displacementtherefrom, and means extending 'through the apertures in the bottoms ofthe arms and detaehably connecting the spokes thereto.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

FRANK WHEELER

